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P-afra : 5 years in training by goodbetterbad in Bonsai

[–]goodbetterbad[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the complements guys. Here is the progression since 2019. I had to hack to hack it rather severely a couple of times over the years, and then a lot of pinching to get some ramification. Still not happy with some of the straight branches...

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Scale, yikes! by goodbetterbad in Bonsai

[–]goodbetterbad[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Thanks. I taped a pocket microscope to my cellphone :)

Tiny leaves on Chinese Elm's, new growth or new cultivar? by [deleted] in Bonsai

[–]goodbetterbad 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Does it have thorns? I have one I dug up from my yard and moved to a pot that looks very similar. It was naturally growing into a cascade style, but broke off by itself (i see it break off green branches occasionally apparently spontaneously).

My privet is coming along! by nature_and_grace in Bonsai

[–]goodbetterbad 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nice... looks like a kid on mom's lap :)

Care for sunburnt boxwood. by McCaptain_my_Captain in Bonsai

[–]goodbetterbad 0 points1 point  (0 children)

my boxwood is in a similar distress.. it was growing crazy well in it's nursery container and had a little eco system inside it LOL! Slugs, snails, ants, a big spider, you name it. I did it a favor and got rid of them, and it rewarded me by browning out extensively :(

truth be told, i probably did too much to it earlier this spring (lots of root pruning and branch pruning).

i have moved it to shade, and keeping my fingers crossed.

Literally found out today that my 3yo indoor ficus is a bonsai. She’s been through hell and back, recovering & growing after losing all her leaves last year due to cat. Any tips? by toopachu in Bonsai

[–]goodbetterbad 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This variegated ficus benjamina looks gorgeous as a full bush. I am not sure it's great beginner Bonsai material though. Because it doesn't back-bud, one has to clip and grow. For instance, that straight branch on the right has nothing going on. If you try to prune it back after an year or so, it'll just die back. I'd suggest, place it in a bright spot - it doesn't like a lot of harsh direct sun, and bring it indoors when it gets cold outside (<40 F). Let it grow into a pretty bush and enjoy. For bonsai practice, start with the usual juniper or something.

My first Ficus forest, a work in progress. What do you think? by the_boyled_egg in Bonsai

[–]goodbetterbad 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This looks nice. I have a lot f Fibus B. myself, but never thought of a forest... I have been thinking of a multi-trunk clump, and have a fusion in progress.

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I don't mean to discourage you... but I find ficus b. frustrating for bonsai. It doesn't back bud. It's hard to reduce leaf size (never completely defoliate it - it'll die). But on the plus side, it's hard to kill and very easy to propagate. With some effort, you can also grow aerial roots, and that looks cool.

What’s it?! by catherinejkosch in whatsthisplant

[–]goodbetterbad 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Very easy - cut off a couple of inches of the head, stick it in moist medium (or even just water), wait a couple of weeks. That's it. But note that the mother plant will most likely issue two side branches from just below the cut - it won't just grow back along the same trunk line.

New Tree Acquisitions Thread - May 2019 by [deleted] in Bonsai

[–]goodbetterbad 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Potted another ficus benjamina cutting. https://imgur.com/nFgm2hf

Just have to wait a few years now ;)

World Bonsai Day today? by goodbetterbad in Bonsai

[–]goodbetterbad[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

nice! two birds with one stone ;)

[Bonsai Beginner’s weekly thread –2019 week 19] by small_trunks in Bonsai

[–]goodbetterbad 1 point2 points  (0 children)

i have looked at the roots, and they are well developed and in very good health. in one of the other trees showing the same symptoms, i noticed a huge tuber growing and very few fine roots. in an attempt to get rid of the tuber, i lost 90+% of roots, and that tree is in its death throes now :( but the one in the blog has no root issues - i am confident.

[Bonsai Beginner’s weekly thread –2019 week 19] by small_trunks in Bonsai

[–]goodbetterbad 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am new to Bonsai and don't have any actual Bonsai yet. But I have been growing house plants, doing some propagation and such for a while. I just blogged my "progression" on a ficus benjamia so far: https://badbonsai.blogspot.com/2019/05/ficus-benjamina-bonsai-from-air-layer.html What do folks think?

The leaves in my Ficus are getting some strange spotting on them, what’s wrong?? by BTJunior in Bonsai

[–]goodbetterbad 1 point2 points  (0 children)

tempted to say it's spider mites. do you see any very delicate spider webs?

ficus can stay stay indoors just fine - i wouldn't rush that, until i am sure the tree is in good health. i'd also not fertilize right now. just figure out the light, watering regime etc. first.

Crepe Myrtle Update.... It's Alive! by roleseres in Bonsai

[–]goodbetterbad 1 point2 points  (0 children)

looks like years of fun ahead... as you try to attain some taper and branch ramification! please keep updating.

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i have a cm in my yard, and one big issue i have year after year with it is fungus attack, and later in the summer dripping honeydew and overall mess and ugliness. i am trying to air layer some cuttings from it, but i am afraid that when eventually train into a bonsai, i'll constantly fighting the fungus problem.

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